We got a lot of new snow so we skied fresh tracks all day.
I have Asher as “My Driver” in my phonebook. He almost got fired today though when he didn’t clean the window and drove just using one hand while speaking on the phone.
Today’s beer. Beer number 14. Magic Hat Winter Mingle. Stout with vanilla. They could’ve left the vanilla out.
The label says:
Brewed in the tradition of the 18th century English brewers who supplied the Russian court of Catherine the Great, Old Rasputin develops a cult following wherever it goes. It’s a rich, intense brew with big, complex flavors & a warming finish.
The beer of the day was Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout from Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, California. 5.8% alc/vol.
A strong 4 out of 5! A good winter beer for sure!
The label says:
A classic example of oatmeal stout: Deep garnet-tinted ebony in hue with a dense, voluptuous mahogany head. Aroma of fresh-baked bread, toffee, raisins, dried cherries and dark coffee. Pleasantly creamy, rich body with pleasing dark malt and freshly toasted bread aromas, finishing roasty and dry.
Solar Powered Brewery
What, Seriously? Hells Yeah! I already knew it was gonna be a 5 out of 5 when I unwrapped this and saw the label…
Out Of Bounds Stout from Avery Brewing Co, Boulder, Colorado. 6.3% alc/vol. How could you possibly go wrong?
It is really an amazing stout too, not just the name and label, the taste was awesome as well! Like a really good dark and smooth chocolate, you don’t need a whole lot, one bottle and you’ll be satisfied, but you never actually want it to end. There’s no way you can top this, everything about this makes me extremely happy. It’s a 5+ out of 5! The first 5+ in 8 years!
The label says;
Experts only ♦ ♦
This big, roasty stout takes flavor to the extreme. We aren’t afraid to use a ton of roasted barley and a mountain of hops to give this full-bodied stout that little extra something you’ve been looking fo.
Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops, and yeast.
On a side note, someone marked this ABS on the wrap, what does that mean?
Oh yeah, totally watching the Swedish broadcasting of Serious Request. Love it!
It was still a fun event, but I didn’t learn much, and I think it could have been better organized – but who says no to free beers?
We went to have a few more beers after the tasting and I got another cake! I think most of my surroundings have figured out that I am crazy about chocolate.
Birthday girl!
Wow, we are starting off strong for this years beer calendar with a Stockyard Oatmeal Stout from JosephBrau Brewing Co., San Jose, CA. 5.2% alc. by vol.
The label says:
A deliciously creamy stout in the Irish tradition – with its rich tan head intact, this deep and dark-colored beer has the aroma and flavor of chocolate, roasted oats, and coffee – all derived from the specialty malts used in the brewing process.
It has a lot of flavors which is nice, but it is a little too fuzzy for my taste. Overall a good beer, and I give it 4 out of 5!
Super excited for the beers to come!
Last beer of the season; Santa’s Little Helper Imperial Stout from Port Brewing Company, San Marcos, CA.
A super dark beer with pretty high alcohol content; 10%/vol. I could really feel the alcohol in the first few sips but then, the alcohol either got to my head (i.e. I got drunk) or I got used to the taste. Over all, not too impressed, 3 out of 5!
The label says;
Each year Santa works up that famous list. He takes notes of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. To the nice people he brings good cheer. For the people who have been anything but nice, he loads up on big fat lumps of coal.
Thankfully, Santa knows this one is seriously nice beer. Brewed only once a year since it was first released in 1997, Santa’s Little Helper has been our annual insurance policy against lumps of coal in our stockings.
Each year, we look forward to the release of this beer which signals the impending arrival of the jolly old fat man and his merry band of elves. Santa’s Little Helper Imperial Stout is all black as Christmas Eve with a decidedly smooth finish. We know you’ll find it the perfect companion for chestnuts roasting by an open fire paired with that lump of coal you will receiving.
I was excited to open up the Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout from Ridgeway Brewing, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
Just what you expect from a Christmas Beer! 5 out of 5!
The label says;
Much More Than ou deserve for Xmas This Year…
Yet another bummed-out holiday? Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout is liquid consolation. It’s a deep, rich sweetly rewarding stout to take the edge off of that grim family gathering, that cheerless annual festival of alienation. This brew is as dark as it gets, as black as the lump of coal you’ll be getting for Christmas. Because, let’s face it, you’ve been pretty bad this year.
The label says;
This rich, robust stout is made with Pale Malted Barley, Oatmeal, Roasted and Chocolate Malts, Pacific Northwest Hops, Crystal Clear Mountain Water and Ale Yeast.